The dreadful opening
In 1807 the Philadelphia Medical Museum was sent an extraordinary case report by a local doctor who had been ‘sent […]
Unusual treatments
How to treat hay fever?
This is hay fever season (if you’re reading this in the northern hemisphere, at least) – the time of year
Notable deaths, Prodigies and monsters
The fire-proof man
In 1828 The Lancet reported the antics of a person they called ‘the fire-proof man’, a Cuban with extraordinary abilities:
Remarkable recoveries, Unusual treatments
Boiling water and birch twigs
In 1843 a Dr T.O. Ward wrote to the London Medical Gazette on the subject of pain. A previous correspondent
Medical shenanigans, Mysterious illnesses
A rotten trick
Here’s a cracking ‘news in brief’ item from an 1851 edition of The Lancet: A few days back a curious
Mysterious illnesses
Plum stone colick
In 1781 an eminent Scottish doctor, Thomas Simson, reported this unusual case in the pages of the Medical Museum: A
Remarkable recoveries
Mass delusions
An article published in The Lancet in 1848 contains a remarkable and early example of the power of the placebo
Champagne ad libitum
Morning sickness is a common affliction which affects the majority of pregnant women. A few suffer a far more debilitating
Hidden dangers, Horrifying operations
A head of wheat in the bladder
In December 1871 Dr B. B. Leonard, a general practitioner from West Liberty, Ohio, was summoned to examine ‘J.J.’, a
Eye eye
Have you ever woken up after a night on the town, not entirely sure how the evening ended? In 1850